Apparatus for the continuous electrolysis of alkali chlorids.



No. 690,365. Patented Dec. 3|, mm.

W. emu.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS ELECTROLYSIS'OF ALKALI GHLUBIDS.

(Application filed Oct. 10 1900.)

(N o M o d el.)

321m W g f J u m i \1 S w; 6? d \VAI AWAVAV/AVi/AV/AV/AM F m x 5:1 5

WITNESSES m: uonms vnzas no, Puma-Mme. wnumawon. a. c.

UN TED STATES ATENT FFICEQ lVILHELM GINTL, OF AUSSEGG, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS'ELECTROLYSIS 0F ALKALl CHLORIDS.

SPEGIFIGATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,365, dated December 31, 1901.

Application filed October 10, 1900. Serial No. 32,598. (No model.)

To to whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILHELM GINTL, of Aussegg-on-the-Elbe, Bohemia,Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Continuous Electrolysis of Alkali Ohlorids and the Like, of which the following is a specification, wit-h drawings. Y

The object of the invention is to produce an improved apparatus of this character that shall be simple and economical in construction and operation and shall be durable and be so highly eflicient in action as to utilize the current to nearly the theoretical limit and to produce strongly alkaline cathode liquors.

This apparatus includes a number of bells or gas-holding cells open at the bottom, but closed gas-tight at the top. Within these are placed horizontal anodes, while without are carried the cathodes. The bells dip into a comparatively shallow cell or vat provided with an outlet for the cathode liquor. Fresh electrolyte solution is introduced into each bell through a supply device or pipe above each anode. The size of the anode is such as to leave but narrow intervals or channels between it and the wall of the bell for the passage of the electrolyte to the space below the anode. Bubbles of chlorin gas rising through these channels effect an intimate mixture of the liquids.

The accompanying drawings show one preferred construction.

Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are respectively a vertical central longitudinal section, a transverse central section, a side elevation, and a plan View of an individual bell. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are a vertical section on the plane 5 5 through the vat, showing the rest of the apparatus in full, a vertical sectionof the same corresponding to Fig. 1, and a plan viewof a complete bath apparatus.

Each bell preferably consists of an inverted sheet-iron box e, narrow in proportion to its length, open at the bottom and closed above, and coated or lined inside with a layer of nonconducting refractory material which should be impervious to the liquors-e. g., glass, slate, or cement. This layer or lining extends somewhat beneath the lower edge of the box e. The anode is a earbon bar or rod or of a fresh electrolytic liquor enters.

size that leaves but a'small interval between its sides and ends and the walls of the bellfor example, a few millimeters. The anode is preferably provided with an integral carbon upright b, sealed in an aperture in the bell and coated with insulating materiale. g., paraffin or cement'-to prevent any formation of chlorin on its surface. The current is supplied through this uprightb. This vertical carbon 19' is provided with a central perforation c' and two lateral distributingpipes 01, of insulating materiale. 9., glass or hard-rubber compositionthrou gh which the The upper surfaces of the pipes 01 are perforated to insure an equal and gentle distribution of the liquor. Each box e may itself serve, as far as it dips into theliquid, for a cathode. Openings g orf 7o in the top of each bell permit the eduction of the chlorin gas generated. As shown in Fig. 7, only one bell of each bath needs to be provided with an opening f for leading the chlorin to its ultimate destination if the openings 9 of the several cells are so connected that the chlorin may pass freely from bell tobell. As shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, many of these bells or cells are placed in a single vator tank h, made of insulating refractory materialtributing it, thereby forcing it to pass through the narrow intervals or spaces around the anodes,continually meeting the rising chlorin bubbles, itis intimately mixed with the anode liquor. In this way a constant uniform composition of the liquid at the anodes is at tained, and it cannot grow so weak by the free downflow of the fresh solution as to lead to the electrolysis of water. As there is a considerable interval or space as measured vertically between the bottom of 'each anode and the lower edge of the bell, the chlorinated anode liquor lies above but not in immediate contact with the strong alkaline cathode lye. In this space Within each bell the conditions are produced for the formation of strata of continually-decreasing alkalinity and specific weight from the bottom upward to the anode. Thus it will be seen that the chlorinated anode liquor, which extends somewhat below the anode, is in contact with a layer extremely poor in free alkali. If the fresh brine or electrolyte be introduced at a rate corresponding to that at which the current decomposes and separates it, the apparatus will then operate under the following conditions: The fresh electrolyte will lie above and around the anode and through it will pass the ascending chlorin gas. It will flow gently down through the restricted spaces around the anodes at the same rate at which it is decomposed, so that when the normal conditions are established there will be no accumulation of salt or of chlorin gas in the space below the anodes and, on the other hand, no accumulation of the alkaline hydrate in the vicinity of the anodes. The alkaline liquor will be drawn olf as it is formed and the passage or migration of the alkali ions to the cathodes will be just equal to the rate at which salt is electrolyzed. These conditions are maintained uniformly, the alkalinity of the liquor increasing continuously downward beneath the anodes and the fresh supply of electrolyte not being allowed to pour freely down beneath the anodes and so stir up and destroy the stratification.

Of course the anodes may be formed of more than one rod and may touch the walls of the bell at each end or otherwise, leaving a narrow passage between them. They may be made of perforated material, as shown in Fig. 1, and afford only by this means a suificient passage-way for the electrolyte. The supply-pipe (1 need not of course be connected through the shank or upright 19, although this means for holding the liquids present, a cathode and a gas-collecting chamber containing an anode, the cathode being outside of the said chamber, the improvement which consists in the anode being supported and proportioned to approximately fit the said chamber horizontally to separate and divide the space above the anode from the space beneath it, and in the means of communication or circulation from above to below the anode being restricted, thereby preventing substantially free circulation, and means for introducing electrolyte into the space above the anode.

2. In apparatus for the electrolysis of alkali chlorids and like uses, of the type having means for holding the liquids present, a cathode and a gas-collecting chamber containing an anode, the improvement which consists in the anode being supported and proportioned to approximately fit the said chamber horizontally and to separate and divide the space above the anode from the space beneath it, the passages or means of circulation from above to below the anode being restricted to prevent free or rapid circulation, and a. distributing supply device delivering theinflowing electrolyte gently downward upon the anode, whereby Stratification of the electrolytic liquids may be undisturbed, substantially for the purposes set forth.

3. In apparatus for the electrolysis of alkali WVILHELM GINTL.

Witnesses:

ADOLPH FISCHER, 'RUDOL'F LANG. 

